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How to Market Farm Products 
for Profit 




I HOLD these truths as self evident: First : 
that the demand (or farm products is def- 
inite and has a limit. Second : That the farmers 
are supplying every demand at prices which bring 
but fair returns for the labor and money invested. 
Third : That over-production brmgs the price of 
farm products to an unprofitable level. 

''^^^HEN, the problem is not merely to *' grow 
^-^ two blades of grass where only 
one grew before;" but "how can we more profit- 
ably dispose of the first blade ?" The two ele- 
ments of successful agriculture must be considered : 
First: "The successful growing of crops" — a 
science; and Second: " Selling the products of 
the farm at a profit " — a business. Both essential 
elements — one the subject of deep study; the 
other wholly neglected. 



How to Market Farm 
Products for Profit 



COMPILED BY 

GRANT S L O C U M 



d. Practical plans on pre- 
paring for market and 
selling Farm Produce that 
have proven profitable to 
farmers, both as individuals 
and as co-operators 




FIRST EDITION 



DETROIT 

THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 
19 12 



Copyright 1912 by 

RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

All Rights Rtstrvtd 






m 



Dedicated to 
The Business Farmers of America 



n 



THS RIVERSIDE PRESS 
PRINTERS 
PORT HURON . 

©CI.A34840.3 



PREFACE 




T SEEMS but yesterday, yet the calendar tells 
me that when October shall again add her gray 
tints to growing things in field and wood-lot, 
nineteen years will have passed since we took 
up the knotted skein. The free end was finally 
located, the re-winding easy — but oh, the un- 
expected knots we have encountered. That part 
of the skein so far unraveled is in your hands. 
Hold it square and fair, not too tight, for your 
neighbor must have a part in the re-winding, 
and yet not too loosely lest a few rounds drop, 
into which new knots will certainly fasten; 
then the work must be done over again. 
Many centuries have passed since the subjects of King 
David made the weary rounds on the ancient threshing 
floor. The sickle used by the Egyptians is now but the em- 
blem of frugality; yet men are living today whose grand- 
fathers used both the threshing floor and the sickle in gar- 
nering their harvests. Marvelous strides have been made 
in scientific agriculture during recent years. Every element 
of agriculture leading to the production of better and greater 
crops has had the conscientious study and thought of men 
equal to the task. The importance of agriculture in the 
welfare of the nation has long been acknowledged, and na- 
tional and state aid, through the instrumentality of the 
agricultural college, has established the fact that agricul- 
ture is a science. While it is true that the American farmer 
must make some wonderful strides in production per given 



8 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

acre before he can match his brothers across the water, none 
will deny but that this part of the skein has been unraveled, 
and we have only to await with patience the rewinding. 
Soil robbers we have been, all of us, and outraged nature 
will not reward the husbandman with more bountiful favors 
until the debt has been paid — dollar for dollar. 

We have spoken of the scientific side of agriculture; of 
the growing of crops and the fertility of the soil. But 
agriculture is pursued primarily for the gaining of a liveli- 
hood, not for the extension of knowledge. This being the 
case, agriculture IS A BUSINESS and not a science. Prac- 
tical business methods are the masters upon the farm; 
science is the farmer's helpmate. The farmer makes his 
living by means of trade, therefore it naturally follows that 
he must possess business ability. He must be able not only 
to successfully grow crops, but to sell the products of his 
farm at a profit. 

The conditions of trade are ever changing, and the 
farmer, like those engaged in every other line of business, 
must quickly adapt himself to the new conditions, or meekly 
accept the inevitable result. We are living in an age of or- 
ganization. The age of competition, depended upon as an 
aid in profitably disposing of the products of the farm, has 
as surely passed as has the use of the threshing floor and 
the sickle, as aids in gathering the golden harvest. As you 
plow your fields today, in yonder market-place men of 
wealth are gambling in futures — placing a price upon the 
harvest you expect to secure from seed yet unsown. As you 
prepare for the harvest, men fight like demons in the grain 
pit to unload their *' futures'' or to take advantage of some 
reported shortage in the supposed supply. In your nearby 
market-place, the organized buyers met this morning at 
ten, discussed conditions and named the prices on that 
which you have to sell. The wheels of the great presses are 



Preface 9 

set in motion, and the daily paper on the morrow brings 
you tidings of market conditions, the future outlook, and 
names the ruling prices — whether you have made a profit 
on your farm, or suffered a loss on that which you have 
produced, is told on the market page. 

The tide of prices ebbs and flows. The disturbing factor 
is not the supply and demand, but the manipulations of 
those who gamble in that which you produce. Back on the 
dirty, busy streets; way over there in the manufacturing 
districts of the great cities, you will find little children, yes 
men and women too, literally starving for that which you 
have in abundance. Their hands are outstretched, but an 
impassable gulf, over which no rail was ever laid, lies 
between. Tens of thousands of workingmen are plodding 
their weary way home tonight, after a hard day in the din 
and noise of the boiler shop, or in the dusty molding room 
of yon great factory. They stop at the little market place 
and buy the products from your farm. The price is high, 
excessively high, when the number of little mouths to feed 
is compared with the daily wage. They look away over the 
smoke ridge to the farms beyond, and curse the farmer for 
his avarice in setting the price on the products of his farm 
so high. 

He fails to discern the multitude of middlemen, who, like 
skulking shadows; have followed that very product from 
the farm to the little market place, exacting a toll at every 
turn in the road, and rendering no service to either pro- 
ducer or consumer commensurate with the toll exacted. The 
farmer today is making but a reasonable profit — a meager 
profit when compared with the returns from invest- 
ments in any other line. If this be true, then increased 
production and the consequent lower prices, will not aid in 
unraveling the skein. When the farm factories are profit- 



10 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

able, the wheels of industry hum; when the farm factories 
cannot run at a profit, national prosperity is without motive 
power. 

Ultimately the farmer must reach the consumer of his 
products. The first step in that direction places the farmer 
in a position where he handles the business end of his busi- 
ness, and places the products of his farm in the consumer's 
market, free from the ''red toll tags" of unnecessary mid- 
dlemen. 

To be an aid to the farmer, at least to the extent of 
making clear the way to take this first step, is the hope as 
well as the purpose of the author. 




September 15, 1912. 
Arcadia Farm^ 
B. F. D. No. 4, 
Mount Clemens, 
Michigan. 




The A-B-C of Successful Shipping 11 



PARTI. 

Marketing the Product of Your 
Farm Factory 

PPEARANCE, although a silent salesman, is al- 
ways a big factor in closing a deal. The wise 
and successful manufacturer places the pro- 
ducts of his factory upon the best market, in 
the best possible marketable condition. A great 
deal depends upon the finishing touches put upon the manu- 
factured article. No matter how well a piece of farm ma- 
chinery might be made; no matter how much attention 
might be paid to the details of construction, the manufactur- 
ed article would find a very slow sale were it not for the 
fact that the machine had been painted, striped, varnished 
and made attractive when placed upon the market. The 
same rule applies to the sale of farm products. Farmers 
make a great mistake when they place products of any kind 
upon the market without first giving them the finishing 
touches — placing them in a marketable condition. No mat- 
ter how overcrowded a market may be on a certain com- 
modity, the first-class article will always bring a top-notch 
price. Ship your No. 1 products to the best market, feed the 
inferior quality to the hogs, and you will make money on 
the transaction. One of the most important features of the 
business end of farming is the preparation, grading and 
proper packing and shipping of your products. The farmer 
who is successful only in raising crops is a failure ; he must 
know the other end of the business. In the pages which fol- 
low, we give you some suggestions along the line of prepara- 
tion, shipping and marketing of the products of your farm, 
and trust we have gone into detail suMciently to place you 



12 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

in a position where you will be as well prepared to make 
your shipments as the local buyer, to whom you have not 
only looked for a market, but have given the privilege of 
naming the price upon what you have had to sell. 

Gar Lot Shipments of Grain 

MARKETING WHEAT; SECURING A CAR, ETC. 
— First figure out the amount of grain you wish to load. If, 
for instance, you have seven hundred bushels to load, you 
should place your order with the local agent for a car of 
40,000 pounds capacity. Recently the minimum load for 
wheat has been raised from 40,000 to 60,000 pounds, so if you 
ask your agent simply for a car in which to load wheat, you 
will be more liable to get a car with a marked capacity of 
60,000 pounds than you would to get one of 40,000 pounds. 
Remember, if you order a 40,000 pound ear, the railroad 
company is obliged to furnish it, but if you simply ask for a 
car in which to make a shipment of wheat, you will get a 
60,000 pound car. 

You will notice that the minimum is placed at 60,000 
pounds, and this is the rule always, unless the marked 
capacity of the car is less, in which case the capacity of the 
car will govern. You must avoid getting a car that will 
hold more grain than you have to ship, because you are 
obliged to pay freight on the minimum capacity of the car. 
Shipping rules allow one to load 10 per cent above the marked 
capacity, and no more. We would advise that in making a 
carload shipment you try to have as near 1,000 bushels of 
wheat as possible; if you haven't this amount, surely some 
of your neighbors would join with you and help fill out the 
car. 

EXAMINE THE CAR CAREFULLY.— In placing 
your order for the car with the local agent, remember that 
you are obliged to take your turn. If an order has been 



Shipping Wheats Oats, Etc., in Car-lots 13 

placed for a half dozen cars ahead of you, you can expect 
to get the seventh car, so it is well to place your order some 
time before you wish to make the shipment. We have found 
a number of instances where the local agent gave preference 
to the local dealer, and turned cars over to them out of their 
turn. This will not be permitted by the companies, and in 
case you find an agent discriminating against you, immedi- 
ately inform the Clearing House and we will see that you are 
supplied with a car in which to make your shipment without 
delay. 

The first thing to do after the car is placed is to examine 
it very carefully. Inspect the floor very thoroughly for 
defects; tap with a hammer along the side to determine 
whether there are any spots that are defective. Many of the 
cars have been used for years, and the lining may look all 
right, but when you tap on it you will find that it is not 
sound. Look at the roof carefully; see whether it shows any 
signs of leaking. A car that has a leaky roof is supposed to 
be placarded accordingly, either by a sign nailed on to the 
car, or *' Leaky Roof" printed on the body of the car. If the 
company turns over a car to you with a leaky roof, and it is 
not placarded, they would be responsible for any damage 
to your shipment that occurred in transit, but it is far better 
to make an examination and satisfy yourself that the car is 
all right than to go to the trouble of collecting damages from 
the railroad company. 

READY TO LOAD.— Now that we have examined the 
car, and it has been properly placed, we are ready to load. 
With wheat, it is first necessary for us to get grain doors; 
if they do not come with the car, ask the agent of the railroad 
company and he will supply you, without charge. Nail these 
securely across the doors, being very sure that no cracks are 
left for the grain to run out. Examine the cracks and crevices 
carefully, for remember, wheat is bad stuff to sift through; 



14 Bow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

but with a little care in loading, it is very easy to have every- 
thing secure and avoid the possibility of serious trouble. 

The door on the opposite side of the car from where 
you load should be nailed on first, then you can 
commence putting in the grain. Clean your wheat by 
running it through a fanning mill if you can ; it will pay you 
well for the time and trouble. Some threshing machines do 
a very good job of cleaning, but others leave the grain in 
miserable shape. If your wheat is in pretty good shape, and 
you are not in a position to clean it, you can always sell on 
the basis of what it will grade after cleaning ; this will cost 
about one cent per bushel, usually. If it is possible for you 
to do so, weigh the wheat before shipment; it will be more 
satisfactory to all concerned. 

READY FOR SHIPMENT.— You wiU find it just as 
easy to load wheat into the ordinary car as into the hopper 
of an elevator ; especially is this true until along towards the 
last of the load, when a little shoveling will be necessary. 
When the car is filled, be sure to nail up the false doors 
tightly. It is presumed that you have received instructions 
from the Central Clearing House as to just where this car 
is to be shipped. Therefore, all you have to do is to go to 
your agent, make out the bill of lading and send direct to us. 
The shipment will soon leave your station, and it is not 
necessary for you to worry or trouble yourself with reference 
to it. The Central Clearing House will take care of the sale 
and make you the proper remittance just as soon as the car 
arrives at its destination. Be sure to have the doors closed, 
and watch the agent seal the car. Never let a car lay on the 
track unsealed over night. 

OATS, BARLEY, RYE, ETC.— The same general rules 
apply to the loading of grains of aU kinds. To ship a car 
of oats, barley, rye or any other kind of grain, you should 
use the same care as suggested in shipping the wheat. 



Suggestions Begarddng Cars 15 

CAPACITY OF CARS.— Always remember the mini- 
mum load for the different kinds of grain, as established by 
the different railway companies. The minimum loads for 
the different commodities are as follows: 

Wheat 60,000 pounds 

Oats 40,000 pounds 

Barley, Corn and Rye 56,000 pounds 

Thus, if a 40,000 pound car is placed on the siding for 
your use, you will understand that you can load it with 
40,000 pounds, or up to 44,000 pounds of any kind of grain, 
(a 10 per cent increase is allowed over the marked capacity) 
and that the freight rate will be computed on the above basis. 
If a 60,000 pound car is placed for your use, you will under- 
stand that you can load it with 60,000 pounds of wheat, or 
56,000 pounds of corn, barley or rye, or 40,000 pounds of oats. 
These are the minimum loads for the different grains, and no 
matter what the marked capacity of the car over the mini- 
mum for the grain being shipped, all you have to load is the 
minimum amount. The same rule would apply in regard to 
a car of 80,000 pounds capacity. 

LOOK OUT FOR SMALL CARS.— Look out for smaU 
cars that are marked up in capacity. Many cars are being 
used by the railroad companies that are marked 40,000 
pounds yet would not accommodate a minimum load of oats. 
As a rule, nothing under a 36-foot car will accommodate 
1,000 bushels of oats. Wheat, rye and corn handle pretty 
easily as to the size of car ; barley and oats have to be watched 
quite carefully, or you will start a car that will not load to 
the minimum capacity. For example, cars marked under the 
minimum of the different kinds of grain will load on a basis 
of the capacity marked on the car. Suppose we have a car 
marked 30,000 pounds ; that car would have to be loaded with 
33,000 pounds of any of the several grains, or 10 per cent 



16 Mow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

above the marked capacity, because of the fact that the 
capacity of this particular car is under the minimum of any 
kind of grain, and therefore compels the shipper to load to 
the limit regardless of the kind of grain he may have. 

Mcu-keting Hay in Car Lots 

HNE of the easiest commodities for the individual 
farmer to handle and ship in carlots is hay. It is 
well for him to write us, giving us a good, clear 
description of the hay he has for sale. If you don't 
know just what grade it is, advise us as best you can as to 
the character of the hay and we can tell you about how it will 
grade. Use care in grading; by all means don't overgrade 
your shipment ; it would be far better for you to undergrade. 
Nine out of ten farmers, on the average, cannot grade a load 
of hay simply because they have never given any attention 
to the business part of their business. Therefore all that we 
ask is that you tell us just what kind of hay you have. If 
clear Timothy, how is the color ? Is it coarse and long or fine 
and short? If some Clover is mixed with the Timothy, about 
what per cent? What kind — Alsike, June or Mamouth? 
How is the color? If mixed with June grass, what per cent? 
How's the color? Maybe you have a Bluegrass mixture; if 
so, say so. If all clover, tell us what kind, or if there is a 
mixture of Clover in your hay, say so. If overripe, dead 
looking Timothy, tell us about it. You know exactly what 
you have, and you should impart the same knowledge to us, 
then we shall be in a position where we can place your hay 
where it belongs. Remember, if you do not tell us just 
exactly the quality of your hay, you are going to be dis- 
appointed when the sale is made, and we are liable to put 
your shipment in a market that does not consume that partic- 
ular grade. Upon the character of the hay you have to ship 
depends the place where we will market it, and as markets 



Car-lot Shipments of Hay 17 

vary greatly with reference to the character of the hay they 
like best, we want to help you avoid mistakes in this con- 
nection. 

SIZE OF CAR TO ORDER.— -But very few cars under 
36 feet in length will accommodate 10 tons of baled hay. 
There are a few 34-foot cars that have the width and height 
to accommodate 10 tons, but they are few indeed ; therefore, 
you should figure on 36-foot cars for hay baled in large or 
loose bales. Small baled hay will load in 34-foot cars, if put 
up in bales of normal weight. Some machines bale hay so 
lightly that you would have trouble in loading a small car, 
and therefore you should get the larger car, if possible. A 
38-foot car must have 22,000 pounds as a minimum load. 
This is a new rule covering large equipment. The minimum 
load is 10 tons on all cars up to 38 feet — 38-foot cars require 
22,000 pounds as a minimum load. 

DON'T WASTE ROOM.— Do a little figuring when 
you put the first load of hay in the car. You must not waste 
any of the room, as you will need every inch of space to get 
in the required weight. There is no set rule governing the 
loading of cars, therefore you will have to look them over and 
experiment with the space until you know just how to place 
the bales. A little time spent in arranging the bales in the 
end of the car will save you dollars in freight. 

THE ONLY SECRET.— The only secret in loading hay 
for shipment to any market is to have every bale in the car 
just as nearly alike as possible. If you have more than one 
car of hay, make the first car of uniform grade at all cost, 
and make the other what you have to. When the hay reaches 
the distant market, the uniformity of the grading plays a 
mighty important part in the price we can secure for you. 
For instance, suppose you have a car of hay on the track 
that isn't quite a No. 1 Timothy, and it isn't reaUy a No. 2. 
It was loaded uniformly, every bale alike. A customer will 



18 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

look it over and pay a good, long price for the car, possibly 
the price of No. 1 hay. If there had been one bale of No. 1 
hay in sight, it would have shown him the difference at once, 
and perhaps reduced your price 50c or $1.00 a ton. On the 
other hand, let us suppose that we have a car of hay billed 
as No. 1, which opens up all right until we get to the second 
course. Here we find two bales of very ripe hay, which will 
grade as No. 2. The natural result follows: the customer 
kicks, the deal is off, or we must allow a cut on your price 
of perhaps a dollar a ton. The buyer does not know how 
many bales of No. 2 hay are contained in the car, and he 
takes the benefit of the doubt, and either declares the deal 
off or demands a reduction. Make your shipments depend- 
able, then you will not only realize the best possible price, but 
you will build up a reputation that will get you the top-notch 
price in any market. 

Reaching the Potato Markets 



HERE we have another commodity which the farmers 
can just as well handle in carlots as to turn them over 
to the dealer. Farmers generally are perfectly fam- 
iliar with handling potatoes, and they know how to 
make up a shipment, as to quality. It doesn't make very 
much difference what a given shipment of potatoes grades at 
one end of the line or the other; the main thing is to put up 
the shipment so as to have the potatoes uniform in size and 
appearance. When your car reaches the distant market, and 
the buyers are making an examination, they will see at a 
glance just what grade of potatoes you have shipped, and 
you will get an outside offer for them. On the other hand, 
a uniform, well-sorted car of potatoes places the Central 
Clearing House in a position where they can demand a cer- 
tain price for the shipment, with every assurance of getting it. 
LOCAL SHIPMENTS IN SACKS.— There are times 



Reaching the Potato Markets 19 



when the farmer can make money by shipping in sacks to 
the nearby cities. Regular potato sacks should be used, and 
should be sewed up so as to accommodate 2% bushels. Sew- 
ing up a potato sack is a simple matter, but a few suggestions 
may help you : As the sack sits upon the floors, take your 
needle (which should be a regular sack needle), insert 
through the two edges of the sack about 4 inches from the 
left side ; take a half hitch in your twine so that it will hold. 
Now take your left hand and form an ear of the 4 inches 
formed between where the needle has gone through and the 
side of the sack. Around this ear so formed run the twine, 
making two loop hitches. Then start to sew over and over 
until about 4 inches from the other side ; here form another 
ear in the same manner. This will make a nice package ; one 
that looks well to the buyer, and then can be handled with 
greater safety and much easier than where you try to tie 
them. If you put up the package honestly, sort well, and sew 
the sacks securely, your shipment will go through on the 
same basis as put up and invoiced. 

REMEMBER THE SHIPPING BILL.— In making a 
local shipment, be sure that your shipping bill shows plainly 
the number of sacks and the weight of the shipment. The 
local agent is expected to assist in making out the shipping 
bill, therefore if you have any doubts as to just how to fill it 
out, ask him to do it for you. Don't let him write on the 
shipping bill, * ' Quantity of Potatoes in Sacks. ' ' Be sure that 
you give the number of sacks and the weight of the shipment ; 
this will save lots of time at our end of the line, and put 
money in your pocket. We furnish shipping tags, and these 
should be securely attached to the top of each sack. This 
can be done very nicely with the sack needle. Don't put the 
tags on the side or bottom of the sack where they are liable 
to be torn off. Where it is possible to do so, we would advise 



20 How to Market Far m Products for Profit 

the weighing of each sack, so that you will know just what 
you are shipping us, and we can tell whether there has been 
any loss in transit. 

A WORD ABOUT FREIGHT CHARGES.— You 
understand that there is a decided difference between rates 
on local and carlot shipments. Therefore it is well for you to 
be very careful to get your price from us before shipping. 
If you will write us what potatoes are worth in your local 
market, we will advise you as to what it is best for you to do 
with reference to your shipment. If you are not satisfied 
with the local price, and want to take your chances on a 
shipment, remember that we are ready to handle whatever 
you may ship us, and will get you the very best price, at the 
very best market. We cannot do any more, and certainly 
your dealer cannot offer more than you can get through the 
Central Clearing House. 

SHIPMENTS OF POTATOES IN CARLOT S.— Until 
freezing weather arrives, carlot shipments of potatoes are 
very easily handled. Order your car and then get your 
shipment ready. Sort as closely as the stock will permit; 
it will pay you in the end. If it is possible for you to do so, 
weigh your potatoes, and before they are placed in the car, 
see that it is in good repair. If it needs repairing, have it 
done. If the local agent will not see to this, don't use it; 
order another car. Don't take a chance on any old rattle- 
trap of a car that may have to be transferred on the road, 
with consequent chances of a shortage and many other 
troubles. Sweep the car thoroughly, and dont load a car 
that cannot be properly cleaned out. Salt in the bottom of a 
car will lose you 5c per bushel. Board one door crosswise, 
and then put in your potatoes, boarding up the other door 
as the car is filled. Don't leave the door next to the loading 
track with no protection ; if you do, when the door is opened 
at destination, out come the potatoes, and you are going to 
have a loss. 



Beaching the Potato Markets 21 

READ THIS PARAGRAPH CAREFULLY. — In 
making early fall shipments, the doors should be left open 
for ventilation; a space of about 6 inches is usually about 
right. On the outside of the boards that go across the doors, 
and tight up in the corner where door closes, nail a board, 
about 6 inches wide, upright to reach close to top of door. 
This is so that potatoes cannot be taken from the space 
formed by leaving the door open. This is for the double 
purpose of letting the air in and keeping the potatoes from 
getting out. When cars lay on the track in large cities, there 
are always plenty watching for an opportunity to get some- 
thing without paying for it. Put a block behind the door, 
and nail it securely; also nail strips on the board reaching 
across space formed, and nail to door jam or body of car; 
one at top and one at bottom. For a shipment not needing 
any artificial or other protection than the regular box car 
affords, the above will cover the requirements very nicely, and 
if carried out, your shipment will reach destination in good 
shape. We would advise you not to send large and heavily 
loaded cars where it is possible to get small ones. They do 
not sell so well; it takes longer to load them and unload 
them, and therefore car service is liable to accrue ; the average 
market does not like large cars. On a normal basis, five or 
six hundred bushel cars will bring one to three cents per 
bushel more than the larger, heavily loaded car. This rule, 
of course, does not apply to cars that are to be lined and 
fired through. When you go to this expense, you very 
naturally want to load the limit. 

Mow to Line a Car for Shipping Potatoes 

HHE COST AND THE PROFIT.— It would be well 
if all potatoes were shipped during the fall, so that 
it would not be necessary to transport this perishable 
product during freezing weather. Under present 
market conditions, however, the buyers take advantage of this 



22 Sow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

very fact, and prices are lowest when shipments can be made 
easiest; as a consequence 30 per cent of all shipments of 
potatoes are made during freezing weather, or at least during 
the season of the year when it is not safe to take chances on 
the weather freezing a shipment. This being the case, it is 
quite necessary that we consider the expense of lining a car 
so as to afford protection in transportation during freezing 
weather. To those who have lined a car, it is a very simple 
matter, but when you speak to the average farmer about this 
expense, he turns to the local dealer. However, the individual 
farmer who raises any quantity of potatoes, or the farmers 
of any community, can well afford to line a car and thus be 
in a position to take advantage of the market conditions. 

LOOKING THE CAR OVER CAREFULLY.— Now 
that you have ordered a car which you expect to line, let us 
look it over and see what protection it affords in itself. If 
the car does not afford any protection in itself, if it is old, 
the joints open, and the lining out, then you would practi- 
cally have to make a new car and you don't want it. If 
you are going to the trouble of lining a car, you want a good 
car; one that has a good floor, no holes, tight-fitting doors, 
and with sides and ends lined as far up as possible. Get the 
original inner lining in good shape, patch up the holes, and 
put boards where there is no lining at all. This affords your 
first protection. 

NOT DIFFICULT TO LINE A CAR.— What we want 
to accomplish is to prevent our car of potatoes from freezing. 
The potatoes that touch the bottom, sides and ends of the car 
are the ones that you have to look out for; therefore what 
we are trying to accomplish is to protect the shipment at these 
particular points. In order to do this, we want to make a 
regular box right inside of the car. We will make this box 
of such dimensions that it will allow an air chamber all 
around the bottom, sides and ends of the car. This air cham- 



Beaching the Potato Markets 23 

ber not only gives you added protection against frost, but 
through this you have a circulation of the warm air from 
your stove which passes under and around the potatoes and 
prevents them from freezing. 

THE NECESSARY MATERIAL.— It is a good idea 
to cover the car floor first with a double thickness of good 
building paper. We are now ready for the floor proper. We 
will first cut 2x4 's of sufficient number that they will be about 
4 feet apart ; cut them so that they will reach within 2 inches 
of each side of the car. Split off a 2 inch piece from a 2x4, 
6 inches to 12 inches long, and slip in the space formed. 
Place the first 2x4 within 6 inches of the end of the car; 
place the one by the doorway just inside the door line. Now 
tack a couple of strips on these 2x4 *s to hold them in place 
until you get the sides and ends ready. For the sides, we will 
cut 2x4 ^s long enough to extend from the floor to the ceiling, 
one for each floor piece. Stand these pieces upright, either 
inside or outside the floor pieces, so the outside edge will be 
just even with the end of the floor piece. These upright 
pieces will need to be nailed but little; they cannot spread 
at the bottom because of the little 2 inch blocks you have put 
behind the floor piece — just tack enough to hold in place. At 
the top you will have to have blocks behind, and also about 
half way up the side, to keep the sides from springing or 
bulging. The ends of the car can be fixed just the same, the 
only exception being that the floor piece will be sidewise 
instead of endwise; you can put the upright pieces from the 
floor to the ceiling just the same. Put blocks behind the 
pieces on the floor and half way up and on ceiling, as in the 
case of the side wall. 

LAYING THE FLOOR, SIDES AND ENDS.— The 
framework for your lining is now complete. The next thing 
to do is the laying of the floor, sides and ends. We will first 
cut our boards, which may be of any rough, sound lumber. 



24 Sow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

We will lay the first board right up tight to the outside, or 
next to the upright pieces of side wall ; one end of our board 
will be in line with the front or doorway — complete this floor 
on the same basis as started. We will next board up the 
sides. Start at the bottom: your first board will rest on the 
floor board already laid; this makes a tight joint here; com- 
plete the side walls as started. The ends come next. Cut 
your boards so that they will just fit nicely, coming on top of 
the floor boards and up against the side boards. This will 
form pretty close joints, if boards are sawed off square. One 
layer of boards is all over the frame, floor, sides and ends. 
We do not figure that this will give us the protection required 
— we must have more than this to protect our shipments at 
some times during the winter months. 

EXTRA PRECAUTIONS.— We will take some of that 
good building paper that we had left after laying the floor, 
and place a layer on the new floor, sides and ends — a complete 
covering over all the work we have done. We cannot leave 
it in this manner, as we could not shovel potatoes on this 
paper, and we need more protection. Very well, then, we 
will lay another course of boards over the entire surface, 
floor, sides and ends. This makes a double layer of paper 
on the original car floor; a 4 inch space under the floor; a 
6 inch space on the sides and ends ; a layer of boards, a layer 
of paper and another layer of boards as the support and 
protection of your shipment. This makes everything com- 
plete with the exception of the fronts next to the doorway; 
this you will leave until you have as many potatoes in the 
car as will stay without rolling out into the doorway. When 
all are in that will stay, put one good, strong 2x4 in the 
center, edgewise ; fasten this to the floor very securely. When 
the other end of the car is completed in the same manner, 
place a 2x4 across the doorway space from one of these up- 
right 2x4 's to the other at about the center point of pressure. 



Beaching the Potato Markets 25 

This is so that no matter how much jolting the car gets on the 
road, your potatoes will not break through the bulkheads. 
If ear is fired, one thickness of boards will be sufficient; if 
not, fix just as balance of car. If, for any reason, you do not 
think necessary to fire the car through, I would suggest put- 
ting some strips across the doorway, over which fasten secure- 
ly some good, strong building paper. On the outside of the 
doors, I would place building paper, folded all around the 
doors, over the cracks where the door shuts together, and 
around the track at top. Do not be afraid of being over- 
cautious. 

ARRANGING FOR HEAT.— If the shipment is to be 
fired through, get one of the regular stoves for the purpose. 
Fasten this to the floor in the center of the doorway. These 
stoves will have holes through the feet so that you can screw 
them fast to the floor. The pipe also is so that it can be 
fastened securely together. Board up about two feet of the 
door, through which you can run the stove pipe; cut a hole 
a little larger than the pipe, over which place a tin with a 
hole cut just large enough to let the pipe pass. This is to 
avoid danger of fire to the car from over-heated pipe. Coal 
is by far the best to use for fuel, wood is too flashy — ^first 
your car is overheated, then your fire is out. 

Not One Shipment, But Many 

BBIG EXPENSE.— You will say that it is a big ex- 
pense to fix up a car for shipment ; that it takes a lot 
of lumber and time and does not appear to you to be 
profitable. Remember that in any case you get your 
linings returned. And here's a little suggestion that will 
place you and your neighbors in a position where you can 
utilize this lined car to ship all of your potatoes during the 
winter months. Get the members of your local organization 
to join with you in preparing this car for shipment, and let 



26 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

them help you line it and pay their share of the expense. 
Tell the agent of the railroad company at your station that 
you want him to get you a good box car that can be lined foif 
shipping potatoes to Pittsburgh, or any other point the 
Central Clearing House may suggest, and inform him that 
you want that car to re-load. When you get ready to bill, be 
sure to see that the ear is billed so that it will be returned to 
your station to re-load with potatoes for the same market. 
In this way the car that you have lined is at your service and 
will be returned, and can be used to make all of your ship- 
ments. 

DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE COST.— Do not worry 
about the car that is lined for potatoes. If you don't want to 
load it when it comes back, you will find plenty, either at 
your station or at the next station on the line, who will be 
mighty glad to get it and pay you well for the privilege of 
using the lined car. You can surely make a profit on the 
original cost. But the thing to do is to go in together and 
fix up a car or two, as you determine, and use them over and 
over again, just the same as the local dealer at your station. 
If you do this, your potato shipping problem has been solved, 
and you are in just as good shape to ship your potatoes during 
freezing weather as the local dealer, and therefore are in a 
position to get the maximum profits. 

Beans — Local Shipments and Car Lots 



HHE FINISHED PRODUCT.— Let us suppose that a 
manufacturer of self -binding harvesters should decide 
to go through all the processes of manufacture except 
the final touches on the machine, and place it on the 
market. Now, let us suppose that this self-binder, unpainted, 
unvarnished and otherwise unfinished, should be turned over 
to some one else, at a price he might name, to have the finish- 
ing touches put on — ^painting, striping and varnishing — ^he 



Shipping Beans to Market 27 

to set the retail price to the farmer. Do you think that man- 
ufacturing under such conditions would be profitable ? That 
is just what you are doing if you raise and market beans. The 
farmers of Michigan and the northern parts of Ohio and 
Indiana raise almost 70 per cent of all the white beans raised 
in the United States. The value of these beans runs up into 
the millions, and yet the farmers take this valuable product 
of the farm to the bean dealers and allow them not only to 
set the price on the commodity, but to put on the finishing 
touches and sell to the consumer. The market demands hand- 
picked or completed beans. The farmer sells beans from the 
thresher, and gets the price offered for the raw material, leav- 
ing the bean dealer the advanced price always secured on a 
completed article. Every local organization should own a 
bean-picker. A few hundred dollars expended for the instal- 
lation of the necessary machinery would place the farmer in 
a position where he could sell the finished product. If the 
members of an organization cannot get together and co-op- 
erate along this line, individual pickers should be secured 
by every bean raiser, and the finished product instead of the 
unfinished product should be placed upon the market. 

CLEAN BAGS FOR LOCAL SHIPMENTS.— There 
is not a time when the farmer cannot make money by ship- 
ping hand-picked beans by the carload, and in nine cases 
out of ten, he can make money by sending us smaller ship- 
ments. The freight rate, however, on small shipments is 
rather excessive, and it is always advisable for the farmer to 
tell us local market conditions before making shipments. 
Ship your beans in nice, clean sacks. New bean bags do not 
cost as much as the regular grain bags, but they are all right 
for shipment and will place your beans on the market in a 
marketable condition. Sew up the bags carefully, the same 
way that we suggested in the case of potato bags, and be 



28 Bow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

sure that they are properly labeled and shipped us according 
to instructions. 

ABOUT THE WEIGHT.— The regular weight of a bag 
of handpicked beans is 165 pounds, and the bags will accom- 
modate this weight very nicely if they are properly sewed. 
For shipments that are made direct to us at Detroit, we are 
not so particular about the weight, as we can handle to just 
as good advantage sacks weighing 150 pounds, or 2% bushels. 
Be sure, however, to have the weight either one or the other, 
so that the sacks will be uniform. Tag each bag at top, and 
let your freight bill tell just how many bags you have shipped 
us and the weight. 

Wool 

BOOK OUT FOR THE GRADE.— The one thing that 
you want to be very careful about in shipping wool, 
is the grade. You are accustomed to taking your wool 
to the local dealer and selling it straight, that is, so 
much per pound straight through. We cannot sell wool to 
the big dealers in that way, nor can your local dealer. All 
wool shipped to the larger markets must be graded by the 
buyers, and while we are on the ground and see that you get 
a square deal, at a price which will on the average give you a 
profit, remember that the wool from a flock of sheep will not 
bring a certain stipulated price per pound for the enitre lot. 
A LITTLE ADVICE.— Unless local conditions are very 
unfavorable, we do not advise shipping wool in a local way, 
because of the conditions governing this commodity, and the 
difference in local and carlot freight rates. We have received 
a large number of shipments, and made money for the ship- 
pers, but this came from points where the local dealers were 
not paying anywhere near the right price. From such points 
we can do you some good every time, but would advise you 
to take the matter up with us before shipping, and we will 
go over the matter with you and determine what it is best 



Shipping Perishable Products 29 

to do. Remember, sometimes our advice is worth more than 
our market— you get it straight, and you know just what you 
can depend upon. 

ABOUT WOOL SACKS.— If you want to make a ship- 
ment of wool, write us and we will furnish you sacks, free 
of charge. Try to arrange to hang the sacks up, so that you 
will be able to stamp the wool down and get in the full capac- 
ity of the sack. 

Shipping Perishable Products 

BLL perishable products must be shipped by express, 
until the people of the United States are allowed to 
enjoy the advantages of a general parcels post, the 
same as is now enjoyed by the citizens of every pro- 
gressive foreign country. Express rates are high, and ordin- 
arily mighty little attention is paid to handling shipments, 
therefore the farmer must see that perishable shipments are 
in good shape, properly packed and in convenient packages, 
before they leave his hands. Always be sure to get the agent 
to give you a duplicate express bill, which you should send 
to us on the same day the shipment is made. 

BERRIES. — One of the most difficult commodities to 
handle is berries. They should be very carefully handled, 
because every little jar that a berry receives starts it along 
the road to decay. If at all ripe, they are very sensitive and 
ready to settle, or, as the marketmen term it, ''go down." 
They should be picked and placed in a cool, shady place 
before fully matured, if possible ; a dry cellar is the very best 
place to keep them. Don't put them in a refrigerator or damp 
room, as they are sure to mold as soon as being taken out. As 
a rule, under present conditions, berries cannot be shipped 
any great distance to advantage, and in any case, fast hand- 
ling is necessary. There is no use of trying to ship berries 
that are over-ripe; they simply won't stand up long enough 
to get you a decent price. Weather conditions enter so 



30 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

largely into the results obtained by berry and fruit growers, 
that there is no way of eliminating the chances that must be 
taken. 

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CANNERIES.— AU of 

the perishable fruits of the farm, with the possible exception 
of apples, must be disposed of within a very short time after 
maturity. It has well been said that during three months of 
the year all of the berries and fruits raised must be marketed, 
so that the consumers can enjoy these fruits for nine months 
of the year. To our mind, there is but one possible way out 
of the difficulty — community, Arbor or family canneries must 
be used. Several reliable companies are manufacturing can- 
ning outfits which are sold at very reasonable prices. They 
have been tried out by government experts, and are satisfac- 
tory in every way. We shall be very glad to co-operate with 
those of our readers who are anxious to establish these canner- 
ies, and believe that we are in a position where we can find 
an outlet for all canned goods that are first-class and put up 
in marketable shape. 

VEGETABLES. — Only in rare cases can shipments of 
vegetables be made to distant markets profitably. Upon the 
freshness and appearance of vegetables depends the sale. 
Nearly every large city has its truck-gardeners, who live so 
close to the city that they can haul in their commodities dur- 
ing the night and have them fresh for the morning market. 
Farmers living at a distance from the city cannot compete 
with this class of vegetables. No matter how nice your ship- 
ment appears when started on its journey, it loses its fresh- 
ness and crispness before arriving in the market, and as a 
consequence, we are obliged to sell it at a price that does not 
give satisfactory returns. 

CHERRIES, PEACHES AND PLUMS.— There is al- 
ways a good market for cherries, peaches and plums, and we 
can handle shipments in any market to good advantage. The 



Shipping Perishable Products 31 

only thing necessary is to have a uniform grade, put up in the 
proper sized packages. Make the shipment look as inviting 
as possible — Cleave the small, unripe fruits at home. It is 
never advisable to ship perishable products without first get- 
ting some idea of market conditions. A warm, gentle rain 
will ripen enough fruit of any kind to flood a half-dozen 
markets; therefore, you are liable to ship to an overcrowded 
market and lose your profits. This is another argument for 
the home or community cannery. 

APPLES— J. Word About the Sorting.— -There is no 
reason why you cannot put up a barrel of apples uniform in 
size and quality, so that it will bring a top-notch price on any 
market. Remember, it is no trick to pull a stave and see just 
what the center of a barrel of apples looks like; no trouble 
to open the opposite end. The farmer who attempts to fool 
some one else with a barrel of apples, is sure to find that he 
is fooling himself. Let's make the package right all the way 
through, then no one will be disappointed. It is well to 
inspect your apples carefully and see about how many grades 
you can make to advantage. Possibly you have a percentage 
of fancies, but not enough to bother with. The fancy stock 
put in with your No. I's will possibly net you more money, 
arid make your No. I's better at much less expense and labor. 
The fancy grade is made up of large, uniform apples, and 
the color should be high. No. I's should always conform to a 
certain size limit, not strictly uniform, but not to go under 
a certain size, and should be free from defects of any nature. 
No. 2's should conform to about the same size as the No. I's, 
but may take on some defects. This is really where the 
grading comes in. A mistake is made by almost every one 
puts up apples, of dumping all that will not go in with the 
No. I's in with the No. 2's. This is not right, and will hurt 
your sales. A good, well-packed No. 2 is desirable, and will 
bring good money at any time. The percentage of strictly 



32 Bow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

No. 1 apples is getting pretty scarce; therefore put the No. 
2's up in the best possible manner, as the money-making 
proposition for you. 

PACKING. — First sort out your facers, which should be 
apples of good quality, size and color, about the same as the 
rest of the barrel is intended to be. Place a layer, stem down, 
over the head of the barrel, which is, when packing, the bot- 
tom. This layer needs to be put in very carefully; don't 
drop them any farther than absolutely necessary. Proper 
handling is what makes them keep as well as any other one 
feature. Use a clamp so that they will be tightly packed; 
otherwise in shipping they will get badly jammed. 

COLD STORAGE. — ^Many fruit growers are anxious 
to take advantage of cold storage warehouses. We are pleased 
to say that we are in a position to help you in this direction, 
and if you will put up your apples properly, you may ship 
them to use and we can have them stored for you. Join with 
your neighbors, put up a carload of your best fruit, let us 
put it in storage for you, and you will be in a position to get 
the top-notch price later. Of course, you take a chance on 
the price where you put fruit in cold storage, but remember, 
that is just what the dealers do, and they are usually ahead 
in the game. We will keep you advised as to the prices 
offered for your apples while in storage, and advise you if 
we think it best to sell. Cold storage rates are very reason- 
able, your shipment is absolutely secure, and if you want to 
experiment a little in this direction, all you have to do is to 
write us. 

Poultry, Butter and Eggs 

iM^iHESE shipments should be come by express, especi- 
1^11 ally during the warm summer season, and we can 
iBBii always get you a good market. It is a fact that many 
times in a local community there is a better demand for 
butter than you will find in the city, because of the fact 



Shipping Poultry, Butter and Eggs 33 

that many of the farmers take their milk or cream direct to 
the cheese and butter factories. It is well, therefore, to watch 
our weekly prices and make shipment only when there is a 
profit in doing so. The express companies give a special rate 
on butter and eggs, and return all shipping crates or pack- 
ages. Get information from your local express agent, deduct 
the cost of express from the prices we quote you, and if you 
figure there is a margin of profit, send along your shipment. 

POULTRY— HANDLING AND PREPARATION FOR 
SHIPMENT— A FEW SUGGESTIONS.— Every farmer 
keeps a certain amount of poultry. True, many keep a fiock 
of sufficient size only to furnish eggs for home consumption, 
but a great majority of farmers expect and receive splendid 
returns from their poultry yard. We would advise the 
farmer who expects to market his poultry to raise the larj^er 
breeds, which are in splendid demand on any market So 
much has been written with reference to the care of poultry, 
that we shall confine ourselves to the sales end of the business. 

PREPARING FOR MARKET.— In preparing your 
flock for market, it will be well for you to confine them in 
quarters not too roomy; give them plenty of fresh water, 
good sound, clean corn, a mash every second or third day, 
some green stuff (grass clippings, cabbage or anything you 
may have) occasionally, and be sure that the quarters are 
clean. It will pay you well to have your fowls good and 
fat before they are shipped — the Detroit market especially 
demands fat poultry, and fowls in good condition always 
bring top-notch prices. 

SHIPPING CRATES.— If you are going to ship direct, 
you should be the owner of a regular reinforced, ventilated 
shipping crate. We would suggest that at the next meeting 
of your Arbor you make up an order for at least one coop 
for every farmer who is a member of your Arbor. The 
regular coops are light, well made, and you will save many 



34 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

times the price by having one on hand when you want to 
use it. If your local dealer does not handle shipping crates, 
write us, and we will tell you where you can get them. 

GETTING READY FOR SHIPMENT.— Feed and 
water your poultry before they are placed in the shipping 
crates. Whole corn or grain should be used at this feeding. 
Don't excite the fowls in getting them ready for shipment. 
Take them off perches at night, if you can do so. A coop of 
poultry where the fowls are excited and nervous, having been 
chased and caught and put in the coop, will shrink 50 per 
cent more than if the fowls had been handled carefully and 
started off quietly. Remember, every little thing that you 
do along this line helps the salesman at the receiving end to 
get you the top-notch price. The shrinkage feature is one 
that all shippers have to contend with, and you should do all 
you can to prevent this. The number of fowls to put in the 
coop depends on the size of the coop and the fowls as well; 
you must use your own judgment ; it is a mighty poor policy 
to crowd them. Have room enough so that they can sit down 
and ride comfortably; if you crowd the coops, you will have 
dead fowls, which means a total loss. Usually twenty fowls 
of the average size will fill the regulation shipping crate. 

WEIGHING AND BILLING.— Always weigh your 
shipment before you leave the express office. Place the empty 
coop on the scales and take its weight ; this is called the tare. 
Put your poultry in, and when you have the coop filled, take 
the total weight ; this gives you the gross weight. The weight 
of your poultry is the difference between the two weights, 
which is the net weight. If you have a pair of platform scales 
in the barn, fill your coop on the scales ; if not, you can weigh 
the coop at the express office, and when you return it take 
the second weight. Be sure that your invoice shows these 
weights, the number of fowls in each coop, etc. Keep the 
express receipt given you, put a tag on the end of the crate, 



Shipping Poultry to Market 35 

never on top where it will be rubbed off, and be sure that the 
tag shows your name and address. Better order your tags 
from us, as our regular tags have spaces for all this infor- 
mation. 

BROILERS FIND A READY MARKET.—Broilers are 
ready for shipment at any time after they weigh from one to 
two pounds, and at these weights they will bring the best 
prices. Regular chicken coops may be used for shipment, and 
we would advise paying a little extra express on the regular 
shipping crate, than to put them in a lighter box where there 
is danger of their being suffocated. There is money in raising 
broilers, and where an incubator is used, they can be raised in 
sufficient quantities to turn a good profit. There is always a 
good demand. Prices and other information will be furnished 
upon request. 

DRESSING POULTRY FOR THE MARKET.— Don't 
figure on shipping dressed poultry only at special seasons 
of the year ; you are going to be the loser if you do. Poultry 
can, however, at certain seasons of the year be dressed at a 
profit, and we give you a few simple suggestions as to prep- 
aration for the market : Hang bird up by the feet, break the 
neck by bending straight back over the first finger ; take large 
pocket knife and stick through under side of neck just back 
of the head. Let hang until there is no question about their 
being dead. Scald in water that has been heated to almost 
the boiling point, dipping three times in this water. Pick 
quickly, being careful not to break the skin. When picked, 
re-dip in the same water about fifteen seconds. This will 
plump them up and a much better appearance is the result. 
Next, place in a tub of cold water until thoroughly cooled out, 
then put them on a board so that they will dry thoroughly. 
When dried sufficiently, they are ready to be packed in bar- 
rels or boxes. Place a layer of paper between each. Weigh 
box before you put the poultry in, then after the shipment is 






36 Mow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

ready, count the fowls also. Just under the cover of the box 
or barrel, place a slip showing how many pounds there are, 
gross, tare and net, and how many head. Don't do one thing 
in dressing but to take the feathers off. Handle the poultry 
carefully, making the packages look neat and tidy. 

If You Must Sell Veal Calves 

XJST A WORD ON THE SIDE.— If we could tell you 
the number of calves that are killed each year and 
sold for veal, you would be surprised. It is a fact 
generally known and very seldom denied, that the 
farmers of this country are not only depleting their farms 
but losing money every year by selling their calves for veal. 
Many people are asking for a law which will prevent the 
killing of calves under one year of age. The suggestion 
of such a law seems absurd, and yet, unless something is 
done to stop the wholesale slaughter of young animals, such 
a law may be necessary. You had better think over the 
proposition very thoroughly before deciding to kill and 
ship your veal calf. 

PREPARING FOR MARKET.— If the killing is to be 
done in the summer months, when the weather is naturally 
hot or muggy, you should invariably use the evening hours 
to kiU. At this time of day the weather is the coolest, and 
therefore the most favorable. Knock down with a hammer 
or axe, by a sharp blow just a little above the center of the 
eyes. Turn the head bottom or throat side up, cut throat 
crosswise deep enough so that the blood comes very freely — 
don't be afraid of cutting too deeply, just so the skin holds 
together on top is all you need to look out for. When thor- 
oughly bled, start to skin, taking the back legs first. Run 
the point of your knife up the back side of the leg as far as 
the knee or gambrel joint (first joint), skin out the leg so 
that it can be cut off at this joint (first joint) — do not skin 



If You Must Sell Veal Calves 37 

any farther than necessary to cut off. When both legs are 
so fixed, take the point of your knife and stick through 
just above the hock joint; make incision just large enough 
for your gambrel stick to go through. The old way is to 
skin over the joint, in which case the skin is left loose and 
makes a good place for flies to blow. Leave the loose skin 
hanging ; do not tie up any loose skin anywhere on the veal. 
Skin out the front legs to the knee joints, cutting them off; 
skin out the head, cutting off at first neck joint. You are 
now ready to hang up. Remove all the entrails excepting 
the kidneys— liver, lights and heart should be taken out. The 
carcass should be opened up the entire length. Be careful 
in splitting the hip and also the breast that you are ex- 
actly in the center. The entrails now being all out, start 
at once to wipe out the carcass with a clean, dry cloth — do 
not use any water. When thoroughly wiped out, the carcass 
needs nothing more. Let the carcass hang over night, so 
that it will be thoroughly cooled before being shipped. Get 
the animal heat out before you attempt to move the carcass ; 
if handled before, it will almost surely sour. Remember 
this. 

PREPARING FOR SHIPMENT.— Your veal has hung 
over night and is now ready for shipment. Don't sew it up 
— don't tie it up in a sack — don't do a thing to keep the air 
away from it. Between the hips place some coarse brown 
paper — the division in an egg case is the best — ^this acts as 
an absorber, and does absorb all the moisture that natur- 
ally accumulates, and leaves the meat dry and fresh when 
it arrives. This sweating, and confinement of the same, is 
what does the damage, by causing the meat to sour. By 
keeping the meat dry, it will last a long time. Tie the legs 
together so that the paper or card-board will stay in place ; 
tie the front legs together also; this does not exclude the 
air, but does protect the carcass against dirt. 



38 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

MAKING THE SHIPMENT.— After the veal is ready 
for shipment, weigh it so that you know what the actual 
weight is when it leaves your place. Don't guess at it on 
the start, or wonder at the weight on receiving returns. You 
must have the weight in order to send us an invoice of the 
shipment, and this we must have. We insist on it. Give 
the agent the weight; he will make out an express receipt 
for you, which you should retain or send along with your 
invoice on the shipment — the latter is really the proper 
thing to do. We then have a complete record of the tran- 
saction as made with the carriers. Have your express re- 
ceipt read: **With liver,*' then if some one steals it, or it 
is lost, we have a chance for a claim and a good support in 
the way of your receipt. 

Dressed Pork 

HRESSING. — Practically every farmer is able to dress 
hogs ready for any market. It is a fact that many 
of the shipments received from farmers are in bet- 
ter shape than those sent out by experts in the 
larger slaughter houses. The farmer takes more pains in 
scalding and removing the hair, and therefore their ship- 
ments of pork usually bring top-notch prices. 

SHIPPING DIRECT.— Through the regular shipping 
months of the winter, there is no reason why the average 
farmer cannot prepare and ship his pork to this or any 
other market and make money in the transaction. It is not 
advisable to ship pork, even in a refrigerator car, during 
the summer months. We would advise you to consider local 
conditions very carefully before making your shipments. 
We have found many instances where the local marketmen 
have tried to break the price, and that pork was selling at 
ridiculously low prices in the smaller towns, and at the 
same time bringing a top-notch price in the city. This is a 



Shipping Dressed Pork and Mutton 39 

time when the Central Clearing House can do you the most 
good. See that your dressed hogs are in nice shape, and get 
them in a good, clean car, if possible. It is expensive to 
do the carcass up in sheeting, but when this is done, there 
is no question as to the appearance of the shipment when 
it reaches the market. 

Any other information desired with reference to this 
commodity will be cheerfully furnished. 

Dressed Sheep 

HUE, EXPERIENCE. — Our experience does not prove 
that shipments of dressed sheep cannot be made in 
a satisfactory manner, especially on basis of prep- 
aration. The main trouble seems in getting the pelt 
off without tearing the meat. Here are a few general sug- 
gestions in the way of dressing: 

PREPARING FOR MARKET.— Bleed by inserting 
knife just behind ear and through neck. After thoroughly 
bled, start on front feet, cutting skin down legs to neck; 
cut front legs off at first joint, below knee, after which you 
will have point on breast from which you can strip skin 
about ten inches back. Then start on hind legs; cut skin 
down back of legs to tail; cut legs off at first joint above 
hoofs; now raise skin at point where leg incisions meet; 
then tie legs together and hang carcass. Now cut skin from 
hind legs to neck, and after loosening skin with knife from 
two to four inches, same can be easily removed with your 
fists. Use care not to tear meat. Wash carcass well before 
opening. Insert knife in rectum, cutting same loose; open 
carcass and remove all entrails except kidneys; wash well 
inside. After thoroughly cooled off, wrap nicely with paper, 
then in burlap or factory, which should be sewed carefully 
to prevent meat getting soiled, and ship by express. 



40 Sow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

Lambs Should Be Nicely Dressed 

HFEW POINTERS.— The general dressing is the 
same as for sheep, the differing feature is that the 
lambs should be "back-set;" feet left on; also skin 
about one-half way up to knee joint. When skin- 
ned and carefully dressed, as far as is done with sheep, the 
feature of back-setting is started: Suppose the lamb is 
hanging by back feet on a hook with back to you; take an 
ordinary stick %-inch through, pine, sharpened; take this 
stick in your right hand, sticking the point through the 
edge of the flank piece, up by the first rib ; now take the 
stick in your left hand, run it diagonally across the back 
of the lamb to a point in the flank as low or as close to the 
ham as possible; stick through the edge at this point the 
same as at the point at the rib. Take another stick of the 
same length and do the very same on the opposite side. Now 
take some skivers or small sharp sticks and fasten the thin 
fatty coating or lining over this surface. When cooled 
thoroughly, this will have a mottled appearance and make 
the carcass look (in the eyes of the butcher) artistic. The 
trouble now is to get the same to market without getting 
these fixings torn and out of condition generally. It is 
really quite impossible to get them through in good shape; 
sometimes they will have only the covering out of place or 
torn badly— this really does not do any particular damage, 
except to the appearance. Wrap the same as sheep. 

Live Stock in Carloads 

BHE LOCAL BUYER. — ^In these days of organization, 
the local drovers of a given community are very 
likely to get their heads together in order to 
manipulate prices. The average farmer has but a 
few head of live stock ready at a given time for the market, 
therefore he is absolutely dependent upon the local drover 



Suggestions Regarding Shipments 41 

when it comes to the naming of prices. He cannot reach 
the distant market unless he ships a carload, and this is 
practically impossible for the individual. Not so, however, 
with the members of the Gleaner organization, who are in 
a position to get together and ship their live stock in car- 
loads. We are in a position to help you out in that direc- 
tion, and would suggest that you write us for full informa- 
tion with reference to carlots and mixed carlots of live 
stock. Very often a mixed carlot will bring a top-notch 
price, if we can get in close touch with the shippers. This is 
a feature that can be very nicely worked out, if those united 
with our organization will get together. Whatever profit 
has been going to the drovers and commission men in your 
vicinity can be turned into the farmers' pockets. 

Making Express Shipments 
Vf yIT IS very important that you prepare your shipments 
^I along the lines of the suggestions contained herein. 
ggg^ Always consider the weight and the strength of the 
package to be used. Don't use a package of exces- 
sive weight, but be sure that it is strong enough to safely 
carry whatever you have to ship. Now take your shipment 
to the express office, and remember to get the special rate 
on certain farm products. Weigh your shipment, and have 
the express agent give you an express receipt. He is re- 
quired to give you a copy, which you should send to us with 
your shipment. If you do this, then we can immediately 
trace the shipment; otherwise it might go astray and be 
hard to locate. 

Let Charges Follow 
IN MAKING shipments by express, let the express 
I charges follow, otherwise you are liable to get into 
I trouble. For some reason, the express companies 
don't seem to be able to inaugurate a system 



I 



42 Sow to Market Farm Products for Prop; 

through which errors may be avoided, and the government 
records show that thousands of dollars are paid to the ex- 
press companies through the payment of double charges; 
that is to say, both the receiver and the shipper pay the 
charges. If you let the charges follow, the cost of the ex- 
press is taken out of your remittance. 

Local Freight Shipments 
gfyiN PREPARING shipments to go by freight, use 
SI* every precaution to have things in good shape. Re- 
9^^ member, the shipment is liable to be roughly hand- 
led in being transferred from one car to another, 
and it is quite difficult to get damages from the railroad 
company, without delay. If you are shipping in bags, be 
sure to see that they are tied up carefully, as it is an easy 
thing for bag strings to become untied. Tag every bag, and 
write the name and address plainly. Remember your name 
and address, as well as ours, should appear on the package. 
If you are shipping boxes or barrels, have them in good 
shape, and be sure that the tags are put on so that they 
cannot come off. Have your freight agent make out a ship- 
ping bill, and send us a copy for your protection. Remem- 
ber, the agent is in the employ of the railroad company, and 
as the railroads are common carriers, the agent is a servant 
of the people. If he does not give you courteous treatment, 
and help you out in making shipments, we shall be very glad 
indeed, to take the matter up direct with the officials of the 
company for you. 

Send An Invoice With Your Shipment 

HLWAYS send an invoice covering the shipments you 
are making, and on that invoice state just what you 
are sending — ^the quality and quanity, number of 
packages, pounds, etc. In fact, give every feature 
concerning this particular shipment. Remember, the more 



How to Ship 43 

attention is given to details at your end of the line, the 
easier it is for us to handle your shipment and give you 
prompt returns. 

All business, in the final analysis, is made up of a multi- 
tude of details. In the handling of farm products, always 
two, and many times three or four persons have a hand in 
the transaction ; therefore it is quite necessary that detailed 
information be in the possession of the shipper and the re- 
ceiver. Oftimes we think it unnecessary to explain little de- 
tails with reference to a shipment, or to keep a record of 
some of the minor details of the transaction. Such is the 
case provided the shipment goes through in the regular way, 
but there are many chances to take — delays i^ transit, 
wrong consignment, damages, errors in delivery, etc. When 
these mistakes occur, it is quite impossible to trace the ship- 
ment, to recover the proper damages, or to locate the real 
cause of the trouble without just such details as we have 
suggested in the previous pages. Possibly you may feel that 
the details are so numerous that it hardly pays you to make 
your shipment direct. Remember, Brother, that if there is 
a business end to farming, that business should be con- 
ducted just as carefully and thoroughly as the business of 
the manufacturing institution in your near-by village. In 
making the first shipment, the whole plan has to be learned, 
and many times vexing circumstances will arise which will 
discourage direct shipments, and to this very fact can be 
attributed the success of the local dealer, who attends to 
the details and pockets the profits gained through the tran- 
saction. Marketing the products of your farm is an essen- 
tial function of profitable and successful farming; you can't 
get around it, and you shouldn^t try to. 



44 Sow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

Our First Journey to the Market Place 

HUR FIRST JOURNEY to the market place was be- 
set with many difficulties. But we came down the 
broad highway, straight as an arrow, to the con- 
sumers ' market. True many obstructions were placed 
in our paths; but let us remember that we have absented 
ourselves so long from the market place that our presence 
there is unlooked for, and a horde of middlemen — of our own 
making — are there, firmly established, and quite unwilling 
to return to the farmer that part of the business which they 
now claim by the right of possession. Doubtless you have 
noticed that at each turn in the road we have passed the 
sign-board which pointed to the highway which leads to or- 
ganization and co-operation. Try as best we can no other 
road will so easily carry our loads; no other avenue leads 
directly to the consumers ' market. True, as has been shown 
by the actual results obtained, the individual can get within 
the city gates, but he meets organized opposition at the 
market place — and the one effectual weapon against organ- 
ized greed is organization. 

Many farmers hesitate in making direct shipments be- 
cause of the difficulties and the chances of loss. And yet 
these same farmers take the products of theil* farms year 
after year to the local buyer, who makes his shipments 
direct to the same markets which the farmer might have 
reached direct. True, you do take a chance in making 
direct shipments. No business can be conducted without the 
element of chance is taken into consideration. My farmer 
friend, your's is a business in which chance figures con- 
stantly. The excessive rains, the drouth, the late and early 
frosts, poor seed, poor catch — from springtime until your 
products are dumped into the middleman's hopper — ^you are 
dealing with chance. 



Our First Journey to the Marhet Place 45 

You are not always successful with your crops. Certain 
years your profits are large; other years you figure but a 
living wage. In considering the question of handling the 
business end of your business, you must take into considera- 
tion the fact that taking year after year, the local elevator 
man makes a good, clean, satisfactory profit. And, remem- 
ber ,too, that before he can make a profit he has to not only 
make his own living, but must pay his help, his taxes, his 
insurance, his freight — all of the expenses of operation. 
Every dollar that he makes above the actual expense of 
operation belongs to yourself and your neighbor. The ele- 
vator man performs no service for you that yourself and 
your neighbors could not perform for themselves. The ele- 
vator man does not take your raw material and make it up 
into a manufactured product ready for the retail trade. 

The elevator man, the local produce dealer, simply 
handle your products. You dump your wheat into the hop- 
per; it is weighed and elevated into the bins. There it re- 
mains until it can be sold at a profit, and then the spout is 
attached and it runs into the ear. When filled the car is 
shipped to the distant market, and arrives there in the same 
condition as when dumped into the hopper from your wagon. 
True, with some commodities, the elevator man puts on the 
finishing touches; picks the beans, screens the wheat, or 
sorts the potatoes, but when this is done it is for the purpose 
of securing better prices, and the preparation does not in- 
volve a single operation that can not be performed by the 
unskilled. 

The business farmer bravely faces the problems of to- 
day. With the returning dawn, he buckles on his armor, 
and presses on. The difficulties disappear, as he comes 
nearer and he finds that after all, it is but a problem of 
"working together,'' of ''uniting for the common good" 



46 



How to Market Farm Products for Profit 



that he has to solve. I make the prediction that the farmers 
of 1920 will look back with amazement upon the business 
methods in vogue on the American farms of today. They 
will wonder that you and I, struggled to raise greater 
crops, fought, worked and prayed for the solution of a prob- 
lem — when its solution awaited us at our neighbor's door. 
This little work is far from complete, yet lays the individual 
foot stones leading away from present market conditions. 
For the final solution, for the complete volume, we must 
await the coming of that day which is fast approaching, 
when the farmers of the nation shall catch step, and march 
forward under the banner: *'Each for All, and All for 
Each.'' 





Farm is Your Factory 47 

PART II. 

Your Farm is Your Factory— Caring for 
the Sales End of the Business 

HE FARM IS A FACTORY. Let's get a little 
nearer home : Your farm is your factory. From 
the annual output of that factory, you must 
figure a sufficient revenue to care for the cost 
of labor, a reasonable interest on your invest- 
ment, the over-head expense, the wear and tear on your 
investment in farm machinery, and sufficient profit to pro- 
vide your family with the necessities, and at least some of 
the luxuries of life. You are in the manfuacturitig business 
just as surely as are Johnson & Brown, the wagon and car- 
riage manufacturers. 

They have money invested in a manufacturing plant — so 
have you. They have money invested in machinery, useful 
only in the manufacture of wagons and carriages ; you have 
money invested in machinery useful only in carrying on the 
business of farming. They employ labor in their factory; 
you employ labor upon the farm. They have what they call 
over-head expense, which includes a sum sufficient to cover 
taxes, insurance and all incidentials, such as losses through 
bad accounts, etc. You have taxes and insurance and losses 
through unfavorable weather conditions, poor seed, etc. 

Thus you will notice that the same elements of expense 
which must be carefully figured and cared for by the suc- 
cessful manufacturer, must be as carefully figured and con- 
sidered by the successful business farmer. And the success- 
ful manufacturer figures these elements of expense very 
carefully, arrives at his totals, and then adds a reasonable 
(we hope) profit for himself and his company, and cares 



48 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

for the aggregate total annual items by spreading the entire 
budget over the annual output of his factory. Every wagon 
every buggy, every automobile, every stove — everything 
manufactured must carry in the wholesale price, a sufficient 
sum to cover the cost of raw material, labor, overhead, wear 
and tear — its proportionate share of every item of expense 
of every name and nature. 

Otherwise, how could the manufacturer arrive at the 
wholesale price for the products of his factory? Thousands 
of idle factories bear mute testimony to the fact that men 
have tried to manufacture a product without takitig these 
important elements into consideration. You will note that 
I have referred only to the wholesale price, the price that 
the manufacturer receives. The retail price is a horse of 
another color. Before we get to the consumer's or retail 
price, we must add the cost of transportation, the retailer's 
profit, his overhead expense, etc., to the wholesale price. 
But we are not figuring on your reaching the consumer 
ditect — ^not yet; we are going to journey right along with 
the manufacture as far as we can. 

But right here do our paths divide. The business far- 
mer takes all of these elements of expense into considera- 
tion. He knows what every bushel of wheat, oats or corn ; 
every pound of butter, beef, pork — everytMng manufac- 
tured in or on the farm factory, has cost him. He also 
knows what the wholesale price should be in order to carry 
these elements of cost, and when the finished product is 
ready for the market, he adds all of these items of expense, 
then figures a reasonable profit, because as a manufacturer 
he is entitled to the first profit, and places his products 
upon the market at a price commensurate with the labor 
and expense involved. 

Not he ! He has nothing whatever to say regarding the 



How the Manufacturer Arrives at a Profit 49 

price he shall receive for the products from his farm fac- 
tory. He has been instrumental in manufacturing a few 
hundred bushels of grain or potatoes ; perhaps a car of some 
given commodity, usually less, which he takes to the local 
market and asks the buyer, **What is wheat, oats or pork 
worth today?" The question of cost is not for a moment 
considered; the only question asked is, '^What will you 
pay?" And if the price is not satisfatcory, the farmer has 
the privilege of drawing his manufactured article back to 
the factory to watch the fluctuations in the tide of prices 
which ebb and flow at the command of the horde of gam- 
blers who deal in futures. 

The farmer should have — must have today — ^the benefit 
of the "supply and demand" prices of the world. Let's not 
throw brick-bats at the local farm produce dealer. He is 
handling the business end of the farmer's business simply 
because the farmer has neglected or refused to handle the 
business end of his own business. Naturally, what we ne- 
glect to do, others will do — if there is money in it. So the 
local elevator men have organized ; the local produce dealers 
have a '* gentlemen's agreement" and UNPROFITABLE 
COMPETITION has been done away with. Not a half- 
dozen dealers bidding for the manufactured products of the 
farm — just one or two, or three, and a good understanding 
guarantees a profitable business. 

But what of that farm factory and its products? Simply 
a game of chance, with every element of business removed. 
Is it any wonder that the boys are leaving the farm, and 
farmers with business ability are striving to get into a busi- 
ness where they can at least be sure of a living wage for the 
labor and service they perform ? Naturally we are all land 
animals, and traders by instinct. Business is an American 



50 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

game, played to the limit in nearly all lines. Men like 
barter and exchange — they like to do business. But under 
present conditions, the American farmer is entirely barred 
from this game. Perhaps he might be satisfied with a handi- 
cap, but he can't see any reason why he should be barred 
entirely. 

You ask me why the "Gleaner" plan does not include 
purchasing general merchandise. My answer is that tens 
of thousands of local dealers who are handling general mer- 
chandise are obliged to meet the same changed trade con- 
ditions as confront you. Through organization, great de- 
partment stores have been established. Under one roof al- 
most every need of mankind may be supplied. By handling 
a greater volume of business, a saving is effected, and the 
price to be charged by the little dealer must conform to that 
established by the greater organizations. Even a more po-' 
tent factor in keeping the profits of the average small 
dealer within circumscribed limits, is the fact that there have 
grown up in this country the greatest mail order houses in 
the world. Today, through the assistance of Uncle Sam, 
the farmer living in the most remote part of the United 
States has upon his table a complete merchandising catalog. 
Within the covers of that catalog will be found illustrations 
and descriptions of everything he may need indoors and 
out. Prices are quoted; everything is arranged to make it 
easy for him to send his order. He can reach to their shelves 
if he desires, through Uncle Sam, and soon become the 
possessor of anything he may need at prices figured upon a 
basis of the volume of business handled. 

So long as these great mail order houses are doing busi- 
ness they wield the "big stick' and there is no possibility 
of the local dealers getting their heads together and boost- 
ing prices. The local dealer pays taxes for the support of 
the village, county and state government, he erects build- 



A Word About the ^'Gleaner" Plans 51 

ings, improves the market place, and thus in a measure 
enhances the value of every farm in the community. The 
little village as a market place is an American institution 
which must survive, and the ''Gleaner" plan in no way in- 
terferes with the growth and stability of the rural village. 
The ''Gleaner" plan seeks to handle the farmer's business 
only, and thus presents an equitable proposition that will be 
a factor in the future stability of the farming community. 
If every farm elevator in this country were owned by the 
farmers, and every local produce buyer were a farmer hand- 
ling produce for the farmers, the local market, the little vil- 
lage, the manufacturer and the dealers of the great cities 
would be beneficiaries, in a measure, of this equitable system 
of handling the business of agriculture which would bring 
to the farmer the profits that have heretofore accrued to a 
horde of middlemen, who are not producers — merely drones 
in the hive of industry. 

The problem which confronts us, then, is the sales end 
of the farm factory. Not a great problem to solve if the 
farmer once recognizes the importance of caring for the 
business end of his factory. It is with no slight degree of 
pride that I present for the consideration of the progressive 
business farmers, the "Gleaner" plan of handling the out- 
put of the farm factory. We are no longer obliged to sug- 
gest to the farmer what he should do, but we are in a po- 
sition to tell him what we can do for him. Three different 
propositions are presented for your consideration: First, 
the "Gleaner Farmers' Elevator," which requires organiza- 
tion, co-operation and a reasonable investment. Second, 
"The Local Gleaner Clearing House." This plan suggests 
voluntary organization, through which joint sales from 
many farm factories may be cared for. Third, "Individual 
sales from the individual factories, all through a central or- 
ganized sales agency." 



52 How to Market Farm Products for Profit 

The Gleaner Farmers' EHevator 

EVEN elevator owners acknowledge that the farmers 
should own the local elevator. There is no reason 
why the farmers of any given community should be 
obliged to deliver their produce to the elevator 
situated in the nearby town, and turn the same over to a 
second or third party, who can perform no service for the 
producer that he cannot economically and satisfactorily per- 
form for himself. This is a part of the farmer's business, and 
the most important part. The Farmers' Elevator performs 
a double function: In the first place, the manager of the 
elevator becomes the farmers' hired man. As manager of the 
elevator, he is, or should be, closely in touch with market 
conditions throughout the country, and therefore able to give 
the stockholders of the elevator reliable information as to 
general market situation. Under present conditions, the 
farmer is obliged to depend upon the "made-in-advance" 
market reports which are sent broadcast by the buyers them- 
selves, and while such reports may in certain cases reflect 
conditions, it is not to be expected that the buyers at terminal 
points are going to quote prices or explain conditions that 
will work to their disadvantage. Second, every cent of profit 
that is realized from the first handling of the produce of the 
farm goes into the pockets of the farmers, where it rightfully 
belongs. It is a well-established business rule that the first 
profit, by every right, belongs to the producer. The 
** Gleaner" plan provides for the organization of elevator 
companies along co-operative lines. Any plan of organiza- 
tion that provides for the distribution of profits on the basis 
of the amount of stock held, cannot be considered a co-opera- 
tive enterprise; therefore, Gleaner elevators divide the 
profits, above a certain interest rate to stockholders, accord- 
ing to the amount of business done through the elevator. 



The Central Clearing House S3 

Applications for Stock, Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, 
and full information as to the organization of Elevators will 
be furnished upon application. 

The Central Clearing House 

BHE CENTRAL Gleaner Clearing House Association 
not only provides a system of handling the business 
of a local elevator, furnishing blank forms, books, 
etc., but lends a greater service by performing the 
functions of a brokerage office in the interest of all associated 
enterprises. The Central Clearing House, being operated 
on co-operative lines, merely exacts a sufficient percentage of 
all sales to pay expenses, and therefore the profits that acrue 
go direct to the local elevator, where a division is made, and 
the profits reach the pockets of the individual producers. In 
order that you may understand clearly the necessity for a 
Central Clearing House, and the manner in which the busi- 
ness is cared for through this central organization, we will 
present for your consideration a few facsimiles of transac- 
tions that have actually taken place through the Clearing 
House during the last few months. 

The manager of a local Gleaner Elevator Company is 
expected to keep the Central Clearing House in touch with 
its local operation. The Central Clearing House is informed 
as to the quantity, quality and price paid in connection 
with the different commodities on hand and for sale. With 
this information, the management of the Central Clearing 
House, which is at all times in touch with the leading 
market centers, through its own representatives, endeavors 
to find the best possible market for such commodities as are 
offered for sale. When a wire is received, asking for prices 
on a certain number of cars of any given commodity, the 
management of the Central Clearing House knows immedi- 
ately where he can supply this particular demand, and 



54 



How to Market Farm Products for Profit 



wires prices to the local association. If the price offered is 
satisfactory, an acceptance is immediately filed, and the deal 
closed. A few practical illustrations follow: 



S^ ooepjjcra. /wrco., Y r ^ .. . mJZ^ 
Sou to S^a,*<:^gA/ <^ Lt*^ 



Sitpi^l Mick 



Hay* Grain* Beana, Apples, 
Patatoes, Eic 



'^C 



(SMfi^^ 




OeSCRIPTION OF GOODS 



4^ /%?- 






^)[^J^^i^Ja^ 



,u^^^ 



Auotnrr total 



7' 



'/£ 






oc 



The Gleaner Farmers' Elevator Company at Shepherd, 
Mich., shipped to the Gleaner Clearing House Association at 
Xenia, 0., 100 bags C. H. P. Beans, 275 Bushels. A draft 
was at once made out for this amount, which was collected 
at Xenia, 0., before the car of beans was turned over to the 
purchaser. In this instance, the Central Clearing House 
Association, having on file a report of the number of bushels 
of beans on hand in the Gleaner Elevator at Shepherd, 
Mich., found the sale at the price quoted ; the local elevator 
immediately made the shipment. 

The facsimile statement below gives the particulars in 
a transaction which occurred on May 29th, through the 



The Central Clearing House — Practical Plan of Operation 55 



same elevator company. This was a small local shipment of 
25 bags of Red Kidney Beans, which were shipped to the 
Gleaner Clearing House Association at Cincinnati. Both of 
these transactions were wholly cared for by the Clearing 
House, remittances received *and returns made to the shippers. 



GJcancis & Farmers Elevator Go. 



SMto 



Hay. Grain* Beans. Apples, 
Patatoes. Etc 



JZT^"^;?^^^ 



^Jmr 




ZS /3. 



V^ 









^^M^^^'f^^ 



ic 



/a 



So 



l^oM 



It is unnecessary to go into details with reference to the 
'' Gleaner" plan of operating local elevators. It is a well 
known fact that all of the leading elevator companies have 
their own sales agencies. The local elevator, with but a few 
hundred bushels of the different commodities to sell, finds it 
quite impossible to secure a satisfactory market, where the 
central association, with an unlimited supply at its command, 
can readily find sales, at much higher prices. It will pay the 
farmers of any community to establish a local Gleaner Co- 
operative Elevator, to the end that they may be placed in a 
position where they can care for the business end of their 
very important business. 



56 Sow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

Local Gleaner Clearing Houses 

HHILE the cost of a suitable elevator ranges all the 
way from $7,000.00 to $30,000.00, it has been possible 
for the farmers of many communities to organize 
local Gleaner Clearing House Associations, and con- 
duct their business very satisfactorily, at an actual outlay of 
less than $1,000.00. This plan provides for the erection of 
a local Clearing House, or Warehouse, on a convenient rail- 
road siding, in any town or community. The warehouse 
should be large enough to hold several cars of hay, potatoes, 
etc. If located in a bean-growing community, it should by 
all means be equipped with a bean-picker and polisher. 
While the Elevator is supposed to be open and doing business 
all the year round, the Clearing House can be operated by 
one of the farmers, who is expected to be on duty only when 
shipments are received or made. 

The facsimile of an original freight bill which appears 
below, shows that the Gleaner Produce Company, of Wyman, 
Mich., shipped on May 17th, 1912, 44,190 pounds of bulk 
potatoes, to the Gleaner Clearing House Association at Pitts- 
burgh, Pa. The manner of caring for this shipment through 
the Clearing House Association is identically the same as 
through a local Elevator : Shipments are made direct, handled 
by the Central Clearing House representatives, and remit- 
tance made to the Central Clearing House, where a statement 
of the entire transaction is made and a draft immediately 
forwarded to the local Clearing House Association. 

It is well to remember that if a local Clearing House 
Association is properly constructed, the money expended will 
prove a profitable investment, because of the fact that if an 
Elevator is later erected, the warehouse will become a part 
of the elevator equipment. It is usual to organize the local 
Clearing House under the State law, the same as local ele- 
vators, but in many cases they are merely voluntary associa- 



The Local Clearing House — How It Operates 



57 



PERE IVTAROUETTE PAlLttOAD rjOMPANY. 




/-^ 



(cunnnts iu«i cjiulitiun oFcunlcnts oT packs; 

itf carry lu iu usixtl place o( d<;bvcr^ at said < 

It ismunoIlT af rccil. as to each earner u< all wr any ol said propcR< 

liaie imcCcsted m all or any oi said property, Oiat every service (o be pcrlonned hereunder shall be 

or wrilteo, iterein contained (including cundinuits on back hereof) and which are agreed "^ ' 



below, m aniaj^'O E'lod prder, except as nnied 

marked, consigned and desiiriW as tndlcaRdj^luw, which said Company agree* 

iis ruad, otherwise tu d«h>cr w anuiti<^,fafn;r un the ruale to -tald destinatioK. 

any poniun ul said naat«tu destinatiocv and as to earli party at any 

" Ik Mihtrci to all- the cotKlItions, whether prinlcd* 

shipper and accepted (oi hiitisell and his assigns. 



The Mirrender of this OriKlnf I ORDER BUI of Lading properly Indoraed 
ropeny. Inspection of property covered by this bill of lading will not be permitted 
indorsed on tbis original bill of iadlng or given iii writing by the shipper 

The Rate of Freight from _ _ 




OESCRIPTIOI OF imieiES UO SPECIU HMIS 



O^^^/^ 



WE16HI uiss 81 

(tullwi » Cwnellei) liri 




If charges are to be 
prepaid, writie. or stamp 
here, "To ke PVeoaid." 



Received S . — > 

to apply in prepajrineat 
of the charges on the 
property 4 escribe A 
aereoa. 



^^S^ 



tions, and it is needless to say that they are accomplishing 
a great good, and aiding the farmer in solving his greatest 
problem. 



58 



Eow to Market Farm Products for Profit 



m 



Dealing With the Individual 

E have placed the Gleaner Elevator first, because that 
is the ideal plan of handling the farmers' business 
^ in any given community. Through this plan every 
feature of his business can be satisfactorily and prop- 
eared for. Second in importance, we place the local 
l^^gjvi^oiJgn^ PAiLROAD roMPAyoT- 



erly 



STRAIGHT BILL OF LADING— ORIGINAL— NOT NEGOTIABLE. 




. . . , - on its road, otherwise to deliver to another carrier on the route . 

uumutnally wreed, as to eachcarner of allorany of said property overall or any portion of said route to destination, and as to each pany at any 

" ' ' ~estM mill or any of said property, that every service to be performed hereunder shall be subject to all the conditions, whether printed 

, herein contained (including conditions on back hereof) and which are agreed to by the shipper and accepted for bimself and his assigns. 



The BaU) of Freight 



.it in Cents per 100 Lbs. 



IF Rula te IF «■!« 28 IF 4lli CIlM IF Stli Clatl IF aili Class 



~j^ j^^ "^ ~ <Ujil^dd[^-N*l Idi parpoBcytfrDcntfrr.l \^ 

" * ■ ^ —State of ^^ld=r2!£jity of 

-Car Initial ^ A^lj r.. No. ^^/ ^ 



Consigned 
Dicstination, 



/t 



OEnniPiioi ofmucles aid skciil ruu 




(S'&T^d^t^^^ucJ^ (U/O^d^M'^-eC. 



^x^^ 




^.^._^/S^r 



S 



O O 



Per5W 



If charges are to be 
vepaid, write or ttamp 
acre, "T« be Prepaid." 



Received $- 



to apply in prepayment 
of the charges on the 
property described 
hereon. 



(The •Isastare Sera -ackDowledset 



Charges Advanced: 



</^ ; A^^^^ - 



How the Clearing House Helps 



59 



Gleaner Clearing House, because through this the farmers 
can carry on their operations advantageously and thus effect 
a material saving in the cost of making individual shipments. 
However, the needs of the individual have been cared for, 
and through the ''Gleaner" plan we can protect the interests 
of the individual farmer. 

The above facsimile of an original freight bill shows 
that on June 14th, 1912, John A. Stake, of Wheeler, Mich., 
shipped by the way of the Pere Marquette Railroad, a car-lot 
of sheep, these being consigned to the Clearing House Asso- 
siation at Detroit. When this shipment arrived in Detroit, 
it was immediately cared for by a personal representative of 
the Gleaner Clearing House Association. The sheep were 
sold and returns made to this individual shipper. 

The statement below, a facsimile of the one sent to Mr. 
Stake, shows every phase of the transaction. You will note 
that he received in payment the Gleaner Clearing House 



(Sltwatx tiU^aring I$01ij9( AfiBnnatiatt 



RECEIVERS OF FARM PRODUCE 

Spfeialitiaf ia Cw Lot* of 

HAY -^ GRAIN — POTATOES 

LoeNo.j2-„ffl5L^?^ Afbor-„ 
Sold for se^uBt sad risk of .. 
Received./_.//X/„.,..'«.iift-ZiK..,!5i^ Addreii 




DISTRIBUTORS OF 

Coal. Fertilizer. Paris Gicen, Flour, Seed. 

C«»ient. Binder Twine. Feed. Oil. 

Shelled Com. Etc 



^^X9x2 




60 Eow to Market Farm Products for Profit 



check No. 3189, for $210.03. Here you have a very simple 
transaction, which connects the individual shipper with the 
Central Clearing House, and shows how easily such transac- 
tions can be cared for. /o y 

'DdTiO. Mkk..L^^^^^. .4 191 fl2 

Gleaner Clearing Houiid^ssociation 

• HIPPtO TO 

Gleaner Clearing He 



BLQuetL Association. /^"^ 



We aim to place the individual shipper in a position 
where he can use his own best judgment as to the market in 
which he wishes to dispose of his products. Weekly market 
reports, that are absolutely correct, made and secured from 
inside information as to the supply and demand, are sent to 
all Gleaners. If the local dealers get their heads together 
and will not pay what a certain commodity is worth, the 
Clearing House Association stands by ready to act as a 
medium through which the individual can reach a market 
where the price is satisfactory. 



tMroU, Mick. 




JZJ> l9lZ 



Gleaner Clearing House Association 

NATOSB OP SHIPMBMT 

~. ou«««^— -X A.T?r..- J 



Wei 

Gleaner Clearing Honse^ Assoeiation/ 



lons^Assoeiahon^ yjf ^j 



Practical Illustration of Transactions 61 

On June 6th, 1912, Arthur Winfield, of Sault Ste. Marie, 
not being satisfied with the local market, shipped to the 
Gleaner Clearing House Association at Pittsburgh, Pa., 
24,560 tons of hay, and you will find, by tracing this ship- 
ment through, that the sale was made and a remittance sent 
direct to Mr. Winfield, at a price above that offered in the 
local market. 

A different phase of the situation is shown in the trans- 
actions which follow, which were taken from actual records 
of the Clearing House Association: Wyatt E. Brown, of 
Mt. Pleasant, Mich., shipped 25 bags of beans to the Gleaner 
Clearing House Association at Kingston, New York. These 
were sold in the market, and remittance made direct to the 
individual. This transaction, briefly stated, shows that Mr. 
Brown was offered $2.30 per bushel for 25 bags of beans; he 
communicated with the Clearing House and was guaranteed 
$2.60. Shipment was made to the Gleaner Clearing House 
Association, and the records show that he received that 
advance over the local market for the shipment. 

Gleaner Clearing House AssocS^itioii 

" ~ ~ ■ jL2:U 



Gleaner Clearii^ H<nim AsaoeiatioiH 



The next transaction shows about the same discrepancy 
between the price offered by the local elevator man and the 
price that should have been paid. Mr. F. W. Town shipped 
25 bags of No. 1 Beans to the Gleaner Clearing House Asso- 



62 Sow to Market Farm Products for Profit 

elation at Hancock, Mich. These sold at a price which netted 
Mr. Town better than $2.28 per bushel. 

The progressive farmer of today is not satisfied with 
suggestions or mere plans — he wants definite information. 
He realizes that he has problems; he knows that he cannot 
solve them as an individual, and therefore he is looking to 
a solution of his problems through organization. A local 
organization is a failure without a central organization, and 
a central organization that fails in its mission to care for the 
wants of the farmer in every line, falls far short of accom- 
plishing all that should be accomplished. After eighteen 
years of organization, we have reached a point where we 
are in a position to join hands with the progressive farmers 
of any community, and direct them to the world's best 
markets. Knowing that organization is necessary, we strong- 
ly advise Gleaner organizations in every community; but 
desiring to be of assistance to farmers everywhere, our plans 
provide assistance for the individual, until such time as he 
may be able to unite with his brothers and solve the problem 
of handling the business of farming. 

Getting a Square Deal 

HOU know that you will get a square deal through the 
Central Clearing House. Nineteen years of continu- 
ous service has proven the standing and reliability 
of those in charge. Perhaps, however, you may hesi- 
tate about shipping for fear of not getting a square deal at 
the other end of the line. Remember, first that our repre- 
sentatives in the market centers are square, honest thorough- 
ly reliable and financially responsible. During our business 
experience we have yet to record the first loss. But you 
have another safeguard: We require the official inspection 
of every shipment at terminals. Every transaction is straight 
and clear ; we leave no chance for a question as to the validity 
of any transaction. 



Contents 63 



Contents 



PREFACE , 7 

A Word of Introduction from the Author. 

PART I. 

MARKETING THE PRODUCT OF YOUR FARM FAC- 
TORY 11 

CAR LOT SHIPMENTS OF GRAIN 12 

Marketing Wheat — Securing a Car — Examine the Car 
Carefully — Eeady to Load — Ready to Ship — Oats — Bar- 
ley — Rye — Capacity of Cars — Look Out for Small Cars. 

MARKETING HAY IN CAR LOTS 16 

Size of Car to Order— Don't Waste Room— The Only 
Secret. 

REACHING THE POTATO MARKET 18 

Local Shipments in Sacks — Remember the Shipping Bill 
— A Word about Freight Charges — Shipments of Potatoes 
in Car Lots — Read this Paragraph Carefully. 

HOW TO LINE A CAR FOR SHIPPING POTATOES. . . 21 

The Cost and the Profit — Look the Car over Carefully — 
Not Difficult to Line a Car — The JN'ecessary Material — 
Laying the Floor — Sides and Ends — Extra Precautions — 
Arranging for Heat. 

NOT ONE SHIPMENT, BUT MANY 25 

A Big Expense — Don't Worry about the Cost. 

BEANS— LOCAL SHIPMENTS AND CAR LOTS 26 

The Finished Product — Clean Bags for Local Shipments 
— About the Weight. 

WOOL 27 

Look Out for the Grade — A Little Advice — About Wool 
Sacks. 

SHIPPING PERISHABLE PRODUCTS 29 

Berries — Family and Community Canneries — Vegetables 
— Cherries — Peaches and Plums — Apples— Packing — Cold 
Storage. 



64 Contents 

POULTRY— BUTTER AND EGGS 32 

Poultry — Handling and Preparation for Shipment — ^A 
Few Suggestions — ^Preparing for Market — Shipping 
Crates — Getting Eeady for Shipment — Weighing and 
Billing — Broilers Find a Eeady Market — Dressing Poul- 
try for the Market. 

IF YOU MUST SELL VEAL CALVES 36 

Just a Word on the Side — Preparing for Market — ^Pre- 
paring for Shipments — Making the Shipment. 

DRESSED PORK 38 

Dressing — Shipping Direct. 

DRESSED SHEEP 39 

Our Experience — Preparing for Market. 

LAMBS SHOULD BE NICELY DRESSED 40 

A Few Pointers. 

LIVE STOCK IN CARLOADS 40 

The Local Buyers. 

MAKING EXPRESS SHIPMENTS 41 

LOCAL FREIGHT SHIPMENTS 42 

PART II. 

YOUR FARM IS YOUR FACTORY— CARING FOR THE 
SALES END OF THE BUSINESS 47 

THE FARM IS A FACTORY 47 

THE GLEANER FARMERS ELEVATOR 52 

THE CENTRAL CLEARING HOUSE 53 

LOCAL GLEANER CLEARING HOUSES 55 

DEALING WITH THE INDIVIDUAL 58 

SYNOPSIS 
OUR FIRST JOURNEY TO THE MARKET PLACE. . . .44 



MAR 10 1913 



